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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by grapebubblegum on May 15, 2001, at 8:11:14
I am so glad to know I am not the only one. After reading through the "withdrawal from Zoloft" thread I now know that others have experienced it. It feels similar to touching a glass display case in a department store and getting a static electric shock, or as someone else described perfectly, like a current passes across your head from right to left and scrambles everything and turns it off for a split-second. Like when the lights flicker out but come right back on.
Now, I luckily have had no overt problems withdrawing from any SSRI; the "brain zaps" occurred at times when I was not taking them but I don't think it was right after withdrawal, necessarily. When I went to my internal medicine doctor about the current-like symptom he said there was no reason for it and the only thing he could do was refer me to a "psycho-somatic clinic." I never went back to him.
So, does anyone know, scientifically, WHAT IS IT????
Neurologically, chemically, could someone, anyone, please explain the mechanism that causes this feeling? Is it dangerous? When they do occur every 30 seconds (which is what sent me to the doctor) what is going on???
Posted by SalArmy4me on May 15, 2001, at 9:59:59
In reply to The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by grapebubblegum on May 15, 2001, at 8:11:14
I tried to follow a scientific explanation of why this occurs, but it became too complicated for me. But I found something interesting:
Discontinuation reactions associated with SSRIs. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal. 159(7):846-847, October 6, 1998:
"Hallmark features of discontinuation syndrome associated with SSRIs have been described as follows:
- Discontinuation symptoms are not attributable to other causes. For example, they usually begin 1 to 3 days after cessation of SSRI therapy, whereas signs of depression relapse do not appear for 2 or 3 weeks.
- They emerge after abrupt discontinuation, frequent non-compliance (forgotten doses, planned "drug holidays") and, less often, dose reduction.
- In most cases symptoms are mild and self-limited (lasting on average 7 to 14 days), but they can be distressing.
- They resolve when the original drug is restarted or another drug is given that is pharmacologically similar.
- They are minimized by gradually tapering the dose or by switching to a drug with an extended half-life (e.g., fluoxetine)."
Posted by loosmrbls on May 15, 2001, at 11:20:37
In reply to The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by grapebubblegum on May 15, 2001, at 8:11:14
I cannot give you specific neural pathways, etc. but I would equate them to seizure activity that doesn't spread.
I would guess the changes that occur once you suddenly stop an SSRI (I got them with BUSPAR, so other drugs too)allow certain parts of the brain to be hyper-excitable, and fire when they are not supposed to. However, the un-coordinated activity is not sustained and gives out just as quick. This results in a "shock."
After a few days to a couple of weeks, the pathways return to "normal" once the drug is gone as the symptoms disappear.
Posted by lrc on May 15, 2001, at 17:38:55
In reply to Re: The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by loosmrbls on May 15, 2001, at 11:20:37
> I cannot give you specific neural pathways, etc. but I would equate them to seizure activity that doesn't spread.
>
> I would guess the changes that occur once you suddenly stop an SSRI (I got them with BUSPAR, so other drugs too)allow certain parts of the brain to be hyper-excitable, and fire when they are not supposed to. However, the un-coordinated activity is not sustained and gives out just as quick. This results in a "shock."
>
> After a few days to a couple of weeks, the pathways return to "normal" once the drug is gone as the symptoms disappear.
---I cut back from 20mg to 10 mg a day and after 7 days, I'm still having "shocks". Mostly if I move my eyes too far to either side or I turn around too fast. I can't wait to get off of this drug. These symtoms are just to weird. LRC
Posted by JahL on May 15, 2001, at 17:51:15
In reply to The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by grapebubblegum on May 15, 2001, at 8:11:14
> So, does anyone know, scientifically, WHAT IS IT????
> Neurologically, chemically, could someone, anyone, please explain the mechanism that causes this feeling? Is it dangerous? When they do occur every 30 seconds (which is what sent me to the doctor) what is going on???The combined 'big-guns' of Sunnely & Cam discussed this a couple of months back. Try a search on 'brain-flashes'.
Posted by grapebubblegum on May 16, 2001, at 8:07:13
In reply to Re: The brain zap related to SSRIs » grapebubblegum, posted by JahL on May 15, 2001, at 17:51:15
Ok, I will try that search. Thank you, thank you. I had the same thing, feeling it if I turned my eyes to the side quickly and even while taking a walk, with each step. I had the feeling that not only my internal med doctor AND my friends were starting to think I was kookoo and not believing me. Now I know it is NOT ONLY ME and that helps tremendously.
Posted by grapebubblegum on May 16, 2001, at 8:15:53
In reply to Re: The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by grapebubblegum on May 16, 2001, at 8:07:13
I can't find it. Help, please?
Posted by JahL on May 16, 2001, at 20:27:06
In reply to Cam? Sunnelly?, posted by grapebubblegum on May 16, 2001, at 8:15:53
> I can't find it. Help, please?
It starts with this post:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010221/msgs/54970.htmlHappy reading!
J.
Posted by grapebubblegum on May 16, 2001, at 22:49:46
In reply to Here you go... » grapebubblegum, posted by JahL on May 16, 2001, at 20:27:06
Thanks!
Posted by anita on May 17, 2001, at 17:06:26
In reply to The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by grapebubblegum on May 15, 2001, at 8:11:14
Hi,
I had terrible brain zaps the first 6 months I was on Nardil, particularly when I turned my head too quickly. It felt like a second-long electrial "zap" going across my brain. I even went to a neurologist for this and they did an epilepsy test, but found nothing (I did not have the experience while taking the test, tho.) My doc did mention it could be caused by abrupt changes in blood pressure within the brain. SSRIs and other ADs can cause changes in blood pressure, so maybe when the noradrenergic receptors (which are one of the regulators of blood pressure) are affected by either the institution or withdrawal of these meds, the result could be these brain zaps. Just a theory. For me, this effect lessened with time, but never went completely away until I discontinued the Nardil. I've had it when starting other meds, too, but only a few times.
anita
Posted by blackjack on May 20, 2001, at 20:09:06
In reply to Re: The brain zap related to SSRIs, posted by loosmrbls on May 15, 2001, at 11:20:37
>
>
> I would guess the changes that occur once you suddenly stop an SSRI (I got them with BUSPAR, so other drugs too)I got them really bad when I went off Parnate. Of course, they were paricularly bad because I had to wash-out before I could take anything else to relieve them.
This is the end of the thread.
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